4.Rio Marañon

Chadin II is a proposed Dam project in Celendin, Peru where a Brazilian company want to put over 15 dams along one of the major rivers feeding the Amazon. This would destroy the livelihoods and homes of 21 communities (approx 1000 families). They would export the majority of the energy to Brazil and the remaining would go to the mining companies who want to destroy more livelihoods and lives in other parts of the region.

Letter:

Today is the international day against rivers and dams. Together with Peru Solidarity Forum (Forum Solidaridad Perú), Tierra y Libertad Paris, Aldeah and El FAME decided to support the campaign against the project Chadin II on the River Marañón The action is part of the activities promoted by International Rivers:

Today the letter was delivered with signatures in French and Spanish to the Peruvian Embassy in Paris. However, not without difficulty as we were denied a receipt of delivery and passed a note such as “no one enabled”, “the secretary has gone” etc etc. After insisting and saying that we would say that the embassy refused to receive the letter, they agreed to sign a receipt.

The undersigned organizations express our deep concern and opposition to the construction of more than 15 dams on the river Marañon and particularly against the construction of mega Chadin II between the provinces of Celendin, and Luya Cajamarca, Amazonas, Peru.

This megaproject by the Brazilian company Odebrecht, with a potential power of 600 MW and at a cost of $ 819 million, would involve 21 communities. It foresees the construction of a dam 175 meters high that would form a reservoir of 196 000 m3 of water. If carried out, the project would result in the direct loss of many villages such as Choropampa, San Lucas, Tupén Grande, Tupén Chico, la Mushca, Mendán and land devoted to agriculture and the cultivation of such crops as cocoa shilico. It would also cause the disappearance of endangered animal species such as the spectacled bear and the rich flora and fauna of the Amazon. Likewise, still water causes increased CO2 and methane production that promote global warming.

The energy produced would be mostly exported to Brazil. Peru, as an energy provider to Brazil, would increasing its dependence on that country and be subsumed as part of its energy matrix.

The rest of the energy would serve to fuel the activities of the controversial mining project Conga, widely rejected by the population of not just Cajamarca. As we know, this project foresees the destruction of hundreds of acres of wetlands and thousand of meters of lagoon waters, – both of which are needed by the population for their livelihoods and agricultural activities.

Public consultation has not yet been realised but already various organizations of the two departments affected – such as the peasant patrols and defense fronts, and people in general from Cortegana, Chimuch, Amazonas, etc have expressed their opposition to this new extractive project. A democratically elected government must respect the voice and feelings of the majority.

We remain vigilant for any grievances against the environment and the people’s will.